Jaishankar On Dealing With Terrorists, ‘They Don't Play By Rules, So Response Can't Have Rules’

India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, has reaffirmed India's commitment to respond decisively to any act of terrorism originating from across the borders. Addressing a gathering in Pune, Jaishankar said that since terrorists operate outside the bounds of rules, India's response to them cannot be constrained by rules either.

Jaishankar asked that if something like Mumbai happens and you do not react to it, how can you prevent the next one from happening? "They (terrorists) should not feel that since they are across the border, no one can touch them. Terrorists do not play by any rules. The response to terrorists cannot have any rules," he said.

Reflecting on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Jaishankar criticised the response of the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, noting that despite extensive deliberations, the decision was made not to retaliate against Pakistan due to perceived costs outweighing benefits.

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Responding to queries about challenging diplomatic relationships, Jaishankar singled out Pakistan as a particularly difficult partner, attributing part of the strain to India's historical approach. He suggested that a clearer acknowledgment of Pakistan's involvement in supporting terrorism would have shaped India's policy differently.

"Well, one is just next to us. Let us be honest, the one country that is very, very difficult is Pakistan, and for that, we should only introspect why. One reason for this is us," he said.

Reflecting on historical instances of terrorism, Jaishankar highlighted the need for clarity in defining and confronting acts of terrorism, regardless of their origin. He cited instances such as the infiltration of invaders into Kashmir in 1947 and subsequent provocations by Pakistan during the 1965 Indo-Pak war as examples of terrorism that India has historically confronted.

Jaishankar pointed out that India's foreign policy has undergone significant changes since 2014, particularly in its approach to combating terrorism. He stressed the importance of a proactive stance against terrorism and reiterated that terrorists must not be allowed to operate with impunity across borders.

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"In 2014, Modi ji came. But this problem (terrorism) did not start in 2014. It did not begin with the Mumbai attack. It happened in 1947. In 1947, the first people (invaders) came to Kashmir, they attacked Kashmir. It was an act of terrorism. They were burning down villages and towns. They were killing people. These people were tribals from Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province. The Pakistan army backed them. We sent the army, and the integration of Kashmir took place," Jaishankar said.